Clothesline support and tensioning device



June 24, 1958 w. HAMRICK CLOTHESLINE SUPPORT AND TENSIONING DEVICE Filed Aug. 19, 1955 IIILIIIAVIIIIIII! 1 OK Tm m2 vm A WU ATTORNEYS CLOTHESLINE SUPPORT AND TENSIONING L 1 DEVICE.

Wellington Hamrick, Boiling Springs, N. C. Application August 19, 1955, Serial No. 529,399

7 Claims. c1. 211-41945 This invention relates to improvements fin'line supports and means for tensioning said lines and more particularly to a clothesline support and means. for tensioning the clothesline. i

It is an object of my invention to provide a clothesline support having novel means for tensioning the clotheslinefwhich is ruggedly constructed, economical -to make, easy'to operate, and which is not likelyto get out of order in its operation. I

.It is another object of my invention ,to provide a clothesline support with simple ratchet means and ratchet locking means for readily securing the clothesline in tensioned condition and wherein the lockingmeans permits a ready release of the tension on the clothesline,

It is a further object of my invention to provide a support for clotheslines wherein the support is so constructed as to readily be attached to a permanent post in p the yard of the user when the clotheslines are -to be used and wherein the support is readily detached from the permanent post in the yard when it is desired to store the clotheslines to protect the same from dust and dirt FCC inner surface, portions of the upright post 10 adjacent the apertures 11 to prevent the cross-arm 12 from moving laterally .inrthe post 10. The teeth 16 of the ratchet 15 lockingly engage av substantially U-shaped locking memher broadly indicated at 20., The locking member 20 has a long leg 21 and a short leg 22 connected by a substantially flat member 23 having a slot or aperture 24 in a medial portion thereof; through which one of the teeth 16 of .the ratchet 15 extends and lockingly engages portions of the side wallsdefining the aperture 24 to maintain the clotheslines 14 in tensioned condition.

It will be observed in Figures 3 and 4 that portions of the member 23 adjacent the aperture 24 are slightly ,bent downwardly so as to be readily engaged by one of the 12 could be rotated in a clockwise direction to tension the clotheslines 14.

It will be observed in Figure 3 that upon rotation of the cross-arm 12 and the ratchet 15 secured thereto, that the'tooth '16 im'mediatelybelow the member 23 will exert an upward pressure on the lower surface of the member 23 to move the locking m 'ember 20 upwardly a slight' distance prior to the tooth moving into the c on- :finesof-the aperture 24. It will'be readily understood in the air and to free the yard from the clotheslines so Some of the objects of the invention having been' stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- V I Figure 1 is an isometric view of the-clothesline support in normal operating position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the medial portion of Figure 1 with the post cover removed;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 33 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of a modified form of the invention.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 indicates a substantially rectangular clothesline post or support of hollow construction with its lower end embedded in a concrete block C to be maintained in upright position in the earth. The upper portion of the support or post 10 is provided with alined apertures 11 through which is rotatably received a clothesline rod or cross-arm 12 having a plurality of pairs of apertures 13 through which are received the free ends of the clothesline 14 to be secured to the cross-arm 12 as by twisting the free ends thereof around the clothesline itself.

A ratchet 15 having a plurality of teeth 16 is suitably secured as by a screw 17 to the medial portion of the cross-arm 12. As will be observed in Figure 4, the sides or shoulders of the ratchet 15 are positioned close to the from an'inspectionof Figure 3' that the leg members 21 and 22 act as guiding members against the inner surfaces of the post or support 10 to prevent the locking member 20 from tilting into such a position as to fail to engage one of the teeth 16 on the ratchet 15.. It will also be observed that the short'leg 22 of the locking member 20 is forcibly moved against the proximal inner surface of the post or support 10 by the tooth 16 positioned in the aperture 24. A cap or cover 26 is provided as a protective shield to enclose the top of the post or support 10 "to protect the ratchet 15 and the locking member 20 from the elements of nature.

In Figure 5 isillustrated a modified form of the invention whereinan auxiliary support 10a extends only a short distance below the cross-arm 12 and telescopically receives a post 30 which is embedded in the earth or concrete in a similar manner as the post 10 in Figure l. The weight of the cross-arm 12 and the support 10a maintain collar portions of the ratchet 15 on opposite sides of the teeth 16 in frictional engagement with the upper edges of the post 30. With this arrangement, when the ratchet 15 is rotated, the teeth 16 will readily clear the upper edges of the post 30. In this form of the invention, the auxiliary support or post 10a may be disengaged from the main post or support 30 and the clotheslines 14 removed from the yard to free the area and to permit the clotheslines to be stored to protect the same from becoming dirty in the atmosphere. The same type of ratchet and locking mechanism is employed for the modified form of the invention in Figure 5 as for the form of the invention in Figures 1 to 4.

To relieve the tension on the clotheslines 14, a rod or the like is inserted in the U-shaped element 25 to turn the ratchet 15 only a short distance counterclockwise to disengage the tooth 16 protruding through the aperture 24 from the side Walls thereof, at which time the locking member 20 may be manually elevated to permit the ratchet to turn in a clockwise direction to completely relieve the tension on the clotheslines 14.

li at'ent'ed' June 24, .1958

condition.

Although the poster upright support is shown as being substantially rectangularly shaped, it will be readily appreciated that the post could be circular or any other shape desired which would .onlyinvolve a corresponding change inl th'e shapeiiof the locking member 2016 correspOnd Withjhe'ifnne'r'surface of the post 10. t

Accordingly, a novel device for tensioning clothesiines readily permits the. storing of thefclotheslinesjwheh the same are not being used; l

In thedrawin'gs and specification there has been set forth several embodiments ofthe invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used a generic and descriptive sense only, and not'for purposes of limitation, the scopepf theinvention being defined in lthe ms. e H v Iclaim:

has been disclosed whichis simple tooperateandlwhich 1." A clothesline-support and'tensioning device comprising a hollow upright supporthavinga pair of.alined apertures, a cross-arm rotatably mounted insaid pair of aperturesfmeans'on said cross-arm for-securing a plurality of'clotheslinesthereto, means onsaid cross-arm thereto, a ratchet having a plurality of teeth connected to said cross-arm and confined within the upright support between the pair of apertures, and floating locking means positioned above said ratchet within the confines of saidupright support for lockingly engaging the teeth of the ratchet to maintain the clotheslines in. tensioned 2. A device accordingto claim 1 wherein said hollow upright supporting member. is substantially rectangularly for I rotating the same to tension the clotheslines secured shaped, and said locking means comprises a substantially U U-shaped member,liavinga pairrof, spaced legs and a medial portion connecting thelegs together, said medial portion having an aperture provided therein, to receive at leastone'tooth of the ratchet therethrough, portions of the shoulders defining said aperture acting as a bearing,

surface for .lockingly engaging the tooth of the ratchet extending through the aperture, and one. of said .legs

floating locking means provided with an aperture for receiving a tooth of the ratchet for lockingly engaging the same to maintain the clotheslines in tensioned condition.

4. A clothesline support and tensioning device comprising a hollow post having a pair of alined apertures adjacent its upper end, a'cross-arm rotatably mounted in said apertures, said cross arm having means for securing a plurality of clotheslines thereto, a 'ratchethaving a plurality of teeth connected to said cross-arm and positioned between said spaced apertures. in said post, and floating locking means positioned above the ratchet inside the post and normally resting on the ratchet and having a slot for receiving a tooth of the ratchet for lockingly engaging the same to maintain the clotheslines in tensioned condition.

5. A clothesline support and tensioning device comprising a hollow post having a pair of alined apertures adjacent its upper end, a cross-arm rotatably mounted in said apertures, said cross-arm having means for securing a plurality of clotheslines thereto, a ratchet having a plurality of teeth connected to said cross-arm and positioned between said spaced apertures in said post, and floating locking means positioned above said ratchet and inside the post for lockingly engaging the ratchet to maintain the clotheslines in tensioned condition.

6. A device accordingto claim 5 wherein said locking means comprises asubstantially U-shaped member having a pair of spaced legs and a medial portion connecting the legs'together, said medial portion having an aperture provided therein to receive at least one tooth of the ratchet therethrough, portions of the shoulders defining said aperture acting as a bearing surface for lockingly engaging a tooth of the ratchet, and one of said legs serving to engage the proximal inner surface of the post to pre- "vent the'locking memberfrom tilting when the same is References Cited in the file of this patent t UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 985,485 Willard Feb. 28, 1911 1,493,436 Kubista May 6, 1924 2,486,983 Rouse. Nov. 1,.1949

2,687,807 Honn Aug. 31, 1954 

